Strand handling

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for severing a generally axially moving strand carried in an airstream. Closing of a slide valve member reduces the velocity of, and preferably substantially stops the stream, thereby reducing the velocity of and preferably stopping the strand. Substantially simultaneously therewith, and preferably after the strand is substantially stopped, a scissor is operated to sever the strand. As the valve member is closed, a guide thereon positions the strand for receipt by the scissor which is operated by a cam on the closed valve member to cut the strand.

nie States Nelson et a1.

[ Feb. 0, 11972 [54] STRAND HANDLING [72] inventors: John Nelson, North Kingstown; William E.

Stoppard, Warwick, both of R1.

[7 3] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warwick, 11.1.

[22] Filed: Dec. 24, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 887,817

[52] [1.8. CI ..83/2A, 83/100, 83/402 [51] Int. Cl ..B65h 29/24 [58] Field of Search ..83/1 3, 24, 236, 100, 262, 282, 83/402, 373; 30/133, 228

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 3,285,114 11/1966 Johnson, Jr ..83/402 2,220,022 10/1940 Pool ..83/236X Voigt ..83/262 x Hopkins ..83/373 X Primary Examiner-James Meister Attorney-Albert P. Davis and Burnett W. Norton [57] ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for severing a generally axially moving strand carried in an airstream. Closing of a slide valve member reduces the velocity of, and preferably substantially stops the stream, thereby reducing the velocity of and preferably stopping the strand. Substantially simultaneously therewith, and preferably after the strand is substantially stopped, a scissor is operated to sever the strand. As the valve member is closed, a guide thereon positions the strand for receipt by the scissor which is operated by a cam on the closed valve member to cut the strand.

18 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures lllllll'li mum PATENIED FEB 8 I972 INVENTORS JOH N NELSON w, fgToPPARD ATTORNEYS STRAND HANDLING This invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling a strand and, more particularly, to such a method and apparatus for reducing the velocity of a running strand and therewith severing the strand.

Difficulty is often encountered in severing a running strand; When a rapidly moving strand is cut, its momentum may cause it to jam between the cooperating blades of the cutter.

Furthermore, a moving strand tends to bunch up against the I cutter and may become frayed or entangled with the cutter apparatus, possibly further jamming the apparatus and preventing normal removal of the severed strand; Another difficulty which may be encountered is undesirable and uncontrolled deflection of the moving strand during operation of the severing apparatus, such deflection possibly occurring through contact of the strand with the apparatus ordeflection 'of the stream carrying the strand. If the strand is stopped a substantial time before the strand is severed, control of the strand may be lost and excessive time is required for the operation.

The invention, in brief, is directed to a method andapparatus for reducing the velocity of, and preferably substantially stopping, a running strand, and substantially simultaneously severing the strand, preferably after axial movement of the strand has been substantially stopped. The apparatus includes a valve which is closed to reduce the velocity of a stream carrying the strand, thereby reducing the velocity of and preferably substantially stopping the strand. As the valve is closing it positions the strand for receipt by severing apparatus. The valve has a sliding valve member and the severing apparatus is mounted on a slide and interconnected with the valve member to provide the desired timing between closing of the valve and operation of the severing apparatus.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved strand-handling apparatus and method for reducing the velocity of a generally axially moving strand and when the strand velocity is reduced, severing the strand. A related object is provision of such a method and apparatus'in which the strand is substantially stopped before it is severed. Another related object is provision of such a method and apparatus in which the strand is carried in a stream and the stream is substantially shut off for stopping the movement of the strand.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description andthe accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary, schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing a valve and cutter assembly in a normal, opened position;

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, schematic sectional view taken generally along the line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, schematic sectional view taken generally along the line 44 in FIG. 1, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, schematic view similar to FIG. 2, but with a valve member removed to show a severing mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, schematic view similar toFIG. 2, but with the valve member in its closed position just prior to actuation of the severing mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, schematic view similar to FIG. 2, but with the valve member in its closed position and the severing mechanism in position after severing the strand;

FIG. 8' is a fragmentary, schematic sectional view taken generally along the line 88 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, schematic view looking generally in the direction indicated by the line 9-9 in FIG. '7.

Referring to particularly FIG. 1 of the drawing, a valve and cutter assembly 10 includes a body 12 having a center section 14 sandwiched between opposite outer plates 16 and 18 and clamped together as by nuts 20 on bolts 22 passing through the center section 14 and the plates 16 and 18. Each plate 16 and 18 has-a port 24 and 26, respectively, opening into an outwardly extending nipple 28 (only one shown, FIG. 8); each nipple receiving one of a pair of tubes 30 or. 32. A strand 34 (shown only in FIG. I) is carried by a stream and passes, in the direction of an arrow 36 (FIGS. 1 and 9), through the tubes 30 and 32 and the valve and cutter assembly 10 when the assembly is open. The strand may be running free or may be metered as by unwinding from a package, andat a speed of I50 feet-per minute, for example. In the illustrated embodiment, the strand 36 may be a strand of yarn and the stream may be anair current caused to flow through the tubes, for example, by vacuum appliedin the tube 32.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1-3 and 9,.a slide 38 and a slide valve member 40'are in relatively loose sliding engagement with eachzother and are slidably received in the body between the outer plates 16 and 18 and the center section 14 which is generally'U-shaped (FIGS. 2 and 3) and open at one end to receive the valve member and the slide. The body 12, slide 38and valve member 40 may be of any suitable material, for example an acetal resin such as Delrin, manufactured by E. I. duPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington,'Del. The valve member 40 controls the stream and is preferably flexible and downstream of the slide so that when it .is moved into its closed position its downstream face may flex into tight sealing engagement with the adjacent outer plate 18 and effectively seal off'the port 26.

A double-acting cylinder 42 is mounted on a lug 44 integral with the center section 14 and has its piston rod 46 adjustably threadedly connected to a laterally extending arm 48 received in a bore 50 (FIG. 4) in an end of the slide 38, the bore 50 opening into a longitudinally extending recess 52 (FIGS. 1, 5 and 9)'in the downstream face of the slide. As the piston rod 46 is retracted, the slide 38 is moved from a normal, first position(FIGS. 1-5) to a second position (FIG. 7). Latch means causes the valve member 40 to move with the slide 38 to the position shown in FIG. 6, in which position the valve member 40 is in its closed position abutting the bight of the center section 14, and the slide 38 is in an intermediate position. Herein, this latch means is in the form of a detent 54 (FIG. 4) received in a socket 56 in the free end of the arm and urged outwardly, as by a spring 58 in the socket, against a diagonal surface 60 on a boss 62 of the valve member to retain the slide 38 and the valve member 40 in the relative position shown in FIGS. 1-6. After the valve member 40 is in its closed position (FIG. 6), continued retraction of the piston rod 46 causes the detent S4 to compress the spring 58 as the detent is cammed off of and released from the diagonal surface 60 on the valve member boss, so that the slide 38 may continue to move downwardly into its second position (FIG. 7), and during such continued movement the yarn 34 is cut.

As the valve member 40 moves from its opened position to its closed position, guide means, here in the form of a notch 64 (FIGS. 2 and 6) in the valve member receives the running yarn and moves the yarn into an apex 66 of the notch so that the yarn is in positionto be received by severing means. In the fully closed position of the valve member 40, the apex 66 is so positioned relative to the ports 24 and 26 in the outer plates 16 and 18 that the yarn may continue to pass therethrough until its momentum wains and it is substantially stopped, preferably prior to severing of the yarn. It should be noted that the yarn is positively positioned in a very limited area (FIGS. 6 and 7) within the apex and adjacent the port wall.

The yarn is cut by the severing means which is in the form of a cutter, such as a yarn scissor 68 (FIGS. 3, 5 and 7), for example, Part No. 790-3l73X or 7X, providedon UNIFIL cop winders, manufactured by Leesona Corporation, Warwick, Rhode Island. The scissor 68 is received in the longitudinally extending recess 52 in the slide 38 and is secured to a lateral surface of the recess, as by screws 70 (FIG. 5 In order to cut the yarn after its axial movement through thetubes 30 and 32 and the valve and cutter assembly 10 has been substantially reduced and preferably stopped by closing of the valve member 40, cam means interconnect the valve member and the scissor. I-Ierein, this cam means includes: a diagonal cam slot 72"(FIGS. 2 and 4) in the boss 62 which is received in the longitudinally extending recess 52 in the slide; and a cam follower pin 74 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) fixed to and extending outwardly from an actuator 76 (FIG. 5) of a movable pivoted blade of the scissors 68 and received in the slot 72. The pivoted blade edge is not shown, and in FIG. 5, is concealed by a notched guide 78 for retaining the yarn between the pivoted blade and a fixed blade 80. After the valve member 40 is in its closed position, the follower pin 74 is moved across the cam slot 72 so that the movable blade closes relative to the fixed blade, thereby severing the yarn.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the valve member 40 is in its closed position and the slide 38 is in its second position, a vent passage 82 (FIGS. 3 and 7-9) provides for entry of outside air into the upstream tube 30, to facilitate a stream, flowing in this tube opposite the direction of the previous stream, to withdraw the yarn from the valve and cutter assembly 10. A vent may also be provided into the tube 32 to facilitate an air current withdrawing the severed yarn.

Upon extension of the piston rod 46 the slide 38 is moved from its second position (FIGS. 7 and 8) to its first position (FIGS. 1-5) and the follower pin 74 on the scissor 68 is caused to slide through the cam slot 72 on the valve member boss 62 to again open the scissor. The valve member 40 follows the slide and is moved from its closed position (FIGS. 6 and 7) to its open position (FIGS. 1-5) and the spring pressed detent 54 (FIG. 4) engages the diagonal surface 60 on the valve member boss 62 in position to repeat the cycle when the piston rod is again retracted. Movement of the valve member 40 from its closed position to its opened position is limited by a lug 84 (FIG. 2) on an edge of the valve member. This lug is received in an elongated cutout 86 in the center section 14 of the body 12 and engages an end of the cutout to limit opening movement of the valve member, as well as to limit movement of the slide 38 into its first position because of the interconnection between the valve member's cam slot 72 and the scissors follower pin 74.

While this invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiment or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of severing a strand adapted to be moved through a passageway past a location along the passageway for severing the strand, the passageway having a cross section substantially larger than that of the strand so that the location of the strand may vary transversely of the passageway, the method comprising the steps of passing a stream through the passageway, carrying the strand in the stream for axially moving the strand through the passageway and past the severing location, proximate the severing location guiding the strand transversely of the passageway to a substantially predetermined position for severing of the strand while reducing the velocity of the strand and maintaining a flow of the stream so that axial movement of the strand is substantially stopped, and severing the positioned and substantially stopped strand at the severing location.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 in which the step of reducing the velocity includes reducing the velocity of the stream for substantially stopping the strand.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 in which the step of reducing the velocity includes substantially stopping the stream to substantially stop the strand at the severing location before the strand is severed.

4. Apparatus for severing a strand, comprising means including a passageway having a sufficiently large cross section for substantially free movement of the strand axially therethrough and in which the location of the strand may vary transversely of the passageway, a severing location along the passageway, means for providing a stream in said passageway and said stream carrying the strand and axially moving the strand through the passageway and past the severing location, means operable proximate the severing location for guiding the strand transversely of the passageway to a substantially predetermined position for severing of the strand, means operable for reducing the velocity of the stream sufficientl y to substantially stop the axial movement of the strand and for maintaining a slight flow of the stream so that axial movement of the strand is substantially stopped, means for operating the guiding means and the velocity reducing means, and means at the severing location for severing the positioned and substantially stopped strand.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which the velocity reducing means includes valve means for reducing the velocity of the stream to substantially stop the strand.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which the guiding means includes a strand guiding portion in said valve means.

7. Apparatus for severing a moving strand, comprising means for carrying the strand in a stream to move the strand, valve means for reducing the velocity of the stream to substantially stop the strand, means for severing the strand, and means for operating the valve means and coordinated therewith operating the severing means to sever the strand when the strand has been substantially stopped, and vent means for facilitating flow of a stream in a direction opposite the direction of the first said stream after the first said stream has been so stopped.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including a body, the valve means includes a valve member slidably mounted on the body for movement between opened and closed positions, the severing means includes a slide slidably mounted on the body for movement between first and second positions, and a cutter mounted on the slide for movement between normal and cutting positions, and the operating means includes first means for moving the slide between its positions, second means for moving the cutter from its normal position to its cutting position as the slide moves from its first position to its second position, and third means for moving the valve member between its positions responsive to movement of the slide between its positions.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the slide includes venting means for facilitating flow of a stream in a direction opposite the direction of the first said stream when the valve member is in its closed position.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the second means includes cooperating means on the cutter and the valve member.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the third means moves the valve member toward its closed position as the slide moves toward its second position.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 in which the third means includes means for moving the valve member into its closed position before the slide moves into its second position.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which the last said means includes latch means retaining said slide substantially stationary relative to said valve member until the valve member moves into its closed position and then releasing said slide for movement into its second position.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which the second means includes cooperating means on the cutter and the valve member.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 in which the cutter is a scissor mounted on the slide, and the cooperating means includes a cam and a cam follower, one on the scissor and the other on the valve member.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 including means for positioning the strand to be severed by the cutter.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 in which the positioning means includes a strand guiding notch in said valve member for positively positioning the strand.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 in which the control means so stops the strand at the scissor, the slide includes venting means for facilitating flow of a stream in a direction opposite the direction of the first said stream when the valve member is in its closed position, the cam and follower moves the scissor to its normal position and moves the valve member to its opened position as the slide moves to its first position, and locates the slide in its first position, and means comprising cooperating abutments on the body and the valve member to limit movement of the valve member into its open position. 

1. A method of severing a strand adapted to be moved through a passageway past a location along the passageway for severing the strand, the passageway having a cross section substantially larger than that of the strand so that the location of the strand may vary transversely of the passageway, the method comprising the steps of passing a stream through the passageway, carrying the strand in the stream for axially moving the strand through the passageway and past the severing location, proximate the severing location guiding the strand transversely of the passageway to a substantially predetermined position for severing of the strand while reducing the velocity of the strand and maintaining a flow of the stream so that axial movement of the strand is substantially stopped, and severing the positioned and substantially stopped strand at the severing location.
 2. A method as set forth in claim 1 in which the step of reducing the velocity includes reducing the velocity of the stream for substantially stopping the strand.
 3. A method as set forth in claim 1 in which the step of reducing the velocity includes substantially stopping the stream to substantially stop the strand at the severing location before the strand is severed.
 4. Apparatus for severing a strand, comprising means including a passageway having a sufficiently large cross section for substantially free movement of the strand axially therethrough and in which the location of the strand may vary transversely of the passageway, a severing location along the passageway, means for providing a stream in said passageway and said stream carrying the strand and axially moving the strand through the passageway and past the severing location, means operable proximate the severing location for guiding the strand transversely of the passageway to a substantially predetermined position for severing of the strand, means operable for reducing the velocity of the stream sufficiently to substantially stop the axial movement of the strand and for maintaining a slight flow of the stream so that axial movement of the strand is substantially stopped, means for operating the guiding means and the velocity reducing means, and means at the severing location for severing the positioned and substantially stopped strand.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which the velocity reducing means includes valve means for reducing the velocity of the stream to substantially stop the strand.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which the guiding means includes a strand guiding portion in said valve means.
 7. Apparatus for severing a moving strand, comprising means for carrying the strand in a stream to move the strand, valve means for reducing the velocity of the stream to substantially stop the strand, means for severing the strand, and means for operating the valve means and coordinated therewith operating the severing means to sever the strand when the strand has been substantially stopped, and vent means for facilitating flow of a stream in a direction opposite the direction of the first said stream after the first said stream has been so stopped.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including a body, the valve means includes a valve member slidably mounted on the body for movement between opened and closed positions, the severing means includes a slide slidably mounted on the body for movement between first and second positions, and a cutter mounted on the slide for movement between normal and cutting positions, and the operating means includes first means for moving the slide between its positions, second means for moving the cutter from its normal position to its cutting position as the slide moves from its first position to its second positIon, and third means for moving the valve member between its positions responsive to movement of the slide between its positions.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the slide includes venting means for facilitating flow of a stream in a direction opposite the direction of the first said stream when the valve member is in its closed position.
 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the second means includes cooperating means on the cutter and the valve member.
 11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the third means moves the valve member toward its closed position as the slide moves toward its second position.
 12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 in which the third means includes means for moving the valve member into its closed position before the slide moves into its second position.
 13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which the last said means includes latch means retaining said slide substantially stationary relative to said valve member until the valve member moves into its closed position and then releasing said slide for movement into its second position.
 14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which the second means includes cooperating means on the cutter and the valve member.
 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 in which the cutter is a scissor mounted on the slide, and the cooperating means includes a cam and a cam follower, one on the scissor and the other on the valve member.
 16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 including means for positioning the strand to be severed by the cutter.
 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 in which the positioning means includes a strand guiding notch in said valve member for positively positioning the strand.
 18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 in which the control means so stops the strand at the scissor, the slide includes venting means for facilitating flow of a stream in a direction opposite the direction of the first said stream when the valve member is in its closed position, the cam and follower moves the scissor to its normal position and moves the valve member to its opened position as the slide moves to its first position, and locates the slide in its first position, and means comprising cooperating abutments on the body and the valve member to limit movement of the valve member into its open position. 